I have been talking to the vicar
about planting some more trees. Oak
or elm, perhaps. The timber would be
an excellent investment for our children
or our grandchildren."
Lucas, I do not wish to speak about
investments of any kind tonight," Victoria
said rather forcefully.
What about the future? Would you like
to talk about that?"
Her hands tightened on the reins.
Not
particularly."
His voice gentled.
Has it occurred to
you that you might even now be carrying
my babe?"
It is not something I want to think
about."
Do you find the subject so terrifying,
then? I am surprised at you, Vicky. You
are no coward, of that I am certain."
Did you bring me out here to discuss
your heir, my lord? Because, if so, we may
as well turn back now."
He was silent for a moment.
Do you
hate me so much that you do not even
want to bear my child?"
I do not hate you," she stormed, feeling
pressed.
That is not the point."
I am greatly relieved to hear that."
Victoria sighed.
I simply do not want to
talk about your heir tonight or any other
night until we have settled this matter that
stands between us."
The only thing that stands between us
is your pride and your fear of losing your
independence. Does it make you feel any
better to know that you are not the only
one who is no longer free?"
She slid him a sidelong glance.
You are
referring to yourself, sir?"
Yes."
You seem free enough to me."
Look around you, Vicky. I lost whatever
freedom I enjoyed the day I inherited
stone vale. I am tied to this land and my
responsibilities to our descendants for the
rest of my life."
And you are a man who will always
fulfill your responsibilities, regardless of
what comes." She studied the road between
her mare's ears, thinking about her own
words.
I will do my best, Vicky, even when
some of those responsibilities are not
to your liking. But I would have you
remember, even in the midst of our
battles, that what I do, I do because
I truly think it is best for us and for
our future. I do not set myself against
you lightly." He smiled.
Believe me, it
requires far too much effort to do battle
with you for me to waste my time and
energy on minor skirmishes. I much prefer
to indulge you whenever possible."
She was indignant.
Indulge me? You
think you indulge me? You have a vastly
overrated opinion of your own actions,
my lord."
He motioned toward their midnight
surroundings.
Look around you, my dear.
What other man of your acquaintance
would drag himself out of a warm
bed at this hour merely to entertain
you?"
She felt a grin tug at her mouth. There
was something about being out with Lucas
at this hour of night that always had a
euphoric effect on her senses. At the
moment she could no longer even summon
up the hot anger she had nursed all day.
Well, as to that, my lord, I am not
precisely certain just what other men of
my acquaintance would humor me so. I
have not had a chance to do a proper
survey, you see. Perhaps if I started asking
about, I would turn up one or two other
noble types who would indulge me in this
minor fashion."
If I catch you doing such a survey, I
will see to it that you do not sit a horse
comfortably for a week."
Her amusement faded at once.
So much
for your indulgence, my lord."
I have limits, madam. And I fear you
must learn to tolerate them."
I have a dressing table I can continue
to push in front of my door every night,"
Victoria warned.
Lucas smiled confidently.
The ledge
that leads from my window to yours
is wide enough to provide a safe path,
even on moonless nights. But I warn you,
madam, if you oblige me to use it in foul
weather, I cannot guarantee to be in a
particularly indulgent mood by the time I
arrive at your window."
But you will, nevertheless, arrive at my
window?"
You may count on that, my sweet. It
is as certain as sunrise."
Victoria risked another sidelong glance
and saw that he was watching her with
eyes that reflected the moonlight. Her
whole body responded to the irresistible
power he held over her. He wanted her
and he made no effort to hide it. It gave
her a sense of her own power and it also
made her light-headed with excitement.
At that moment her horse nickered
softly.
Lucas, I
."
Hush." He reined in his horse and
reached across to halt her mare. His sensual
flirtation had turned to acute alertness.
Instinctively she kept her voice low.
What is it?"
It seems we are not alone out here," he
said.
Hurry. Into the trees."
She did not argue. Obediently she
followed his stallion into the woods at
the side of the road. They sat watching
the moonlit lane from the shelter of
the trees.
Who are we hiding from?" she asked
very softly.
I'm not yet certain, but I can think of
only one other person who might have
business at midnight on this road."
The highwayman." Victoria was suddenly
breathless.
He has not left the
district, after all. Lucas, how exciting. I
have never seen a real highwayman."
For which you should be very grateful,
madam. I suppose I have no one but
myself to blame for the fact that you
might see one now."
Victoria heard the clip-clop of a horse's
hooves in the distance. A moment later
a dark figure riding what appeared to be
a bulky-looking plow horse rounded the
bend. The highwayman was dressed in a
somewhat tattered-looking black cape. He
had a scarf across the lower portion of
his face.
As he came down the lane Victoria saw
that he was impatiently kicking his horse's
rounded sides. The rider's urgent voice
carried clearly on the night air.
Hurry it up, ye good-fer-nothin" nag.
Do ye think we've got all night? That
carriage will be here any minute now.
Move, damn your fat sides."
The horse continued to plod stolidly
along until the rider turned it and guided
it into the woods on the opposite side of
the road.
Victoria realized that she and Lucas
were trapped on this side of the road.
They could not move out onto the lane
until the highwayman, or whoever he was,
chose to leave the vicinity. Beside her, she
thought she heard the softest of disgusted
oaths from Lucas. But before she could
catch his attention to see how he intended
to get them out of this fix, the rattle of
coach wheels shattered the stillness.
It seemed they were to be a witness
to the local highwayman's latest piece of
business.
A few seconds later the coach, a staid
old vehicle pulled by an equally elderly
team, rounded the bend in the lane and
rumbled forward at a stately pace.
The highwayman urged his horse out of
the trees and into the middle of the road.
He brandished a large pistol.
Halt," he yelled loudly.
Stand and
deliver."
There was a startled cry from the
coachman, who immediately began sawing
on the reins to pull the slowly cantering
horses to a halt.
Here now," the coachman called un
easily.
What's all this?"
Ye heard me, man. Tell your passengers
to stand and deliver or it'll be the worse for
all o" ye."
Lucas sighed.
Well, we cannot have this
sort of nonsense going on around here.
Stay right where you are, Vicky. Do not
come out of these trees until I call you
out. Understood?"
She realized he intended to halt the
robbery.
I can help you."
You will do no such thing. Do not move
from this spot. That's an order, Vicky."
Without waiting for her response, he
removed a pistol from his pocket and rode
out onto the lane behind the highwayman.
That'll be enough of that now. Hand over
the pistol before someone gets hurt, lad."
Lucas's voice was the amazingly calm
and overwhelmingly commanding one he
used only rarely but always to great effect.
It was definitely a tone that compelled
instant obedience. Victoria was impressed
in spite of herself.
The highwayman whipped around in his
saddle.
What the devil? Damme, who
are you? This is my coach. Go find yerself
another one. I got no intention o" sharin'
it with the likes o" ye."
You misunderstand, lad. I don't want
the coach. I'm in another line of work
myself. Now hand over the pistol."
Who be ye?" There was a quaver in
the highwayman's voice now.
Who be ye,
mister? Ye cannot be the ghost they been
sayin"
as come back. Ye cannot be."
The pistol, if you please." Lucas
sharpened his tone just slightly and
the pistol was instantly dropped into his
outstretched palm.
Wise lad. Now let us
see to the passengers."
At that instant the coachman, no doubt
under the impression he was suddenly
facing two highwaymen instead of one,
saw his chance and leapt from his box,
sprinting for the bushes.
A piercing scream rose from the inside
of the coach as one of the passengers
apparently looked out the window and
realized the coachman was abandoning his
charges.
The team of horses started violently at
the shriek of dismay and leapt forward,
reins flapping wildly.
Bloody hell." Lucas made a futile grab
for one of the horses as the coach surged
past him.
In that instant the highwayman saw his
opportunity and drove his heels violently
into his plump mount. The animal bolted
in fright and broke into a heavy canter
down the road in the opposite direction
in which the coach was going.
Another scream soared through the open
window of the coach. Victoria saw Lucas
turn his horse to chase after the coach and
she wasted no more time. The vehicle was
much closer to her than it was to Lucas
now and the highwayman was clearly bent
on escape.
She urged her mare quickly out onto the
road.
I've got it, Lucas. Don't let him get
away." She cantered her mare up alongside
one of the elderly coach horses and reached
down for the reins. The animal began to
slow immediately as if vastly relieved to be
back under human control.
For God's sake be careful," Lucas yelled.
But it was obvious the coach had already
come to a safe halt. He spun his horse
around in the other direction and went
after the lumbering plow horse.
Victoria patted the sweating neck of the
coach horse and glanced back in time to
see that it was going to be no contest
between Lucas's blooded stallion and the
farm horse. The highwayman did not stand
a chance.
She, collected the reins of the coach
horses and pulled the hood of her cloak
back up over her head so that her face
was in deep shadow.
It is all right," she
called to the missing coachman.
You can
come out now. You are in no danger.
Take charge of your team, if you please,
my good man."
An elderly, diminutive woman wearing
a turban stuck her head out the coach
window.
Good heavens, you're a female,
ain't you? Whatever is the world coming
to allowing women to run around in the
middle of the night in breeches? You
should be ashamed of yourself, young
woman."
Victoria grinned.
Yes, ma'am," she said
in her demurest accents.
My husband
holds much the same opinion as yourself."
And just where is your husband, pray
tell?"
Victoria nodded down the road to
where Lucas was leading a dejected
looking highwayman back toward the
coach.
That's him there, ma'am. He's
caught your highwayman for you."
Heavens, I don't want him." The woman
leaned back into the coach and spoke to her
companion, who appeared to be having a
quiet fit of hysterics.
Martha, do stop that
infernal noise and call John Coachman. I
believe he ran off into the woods. One
simply cannot rely upon staff these days."
I be right here, ma'am," the coachman
called, emerging hastily from the brush.
I was just waitin" me chance to get
the bleeder." He glanced suspiciously at
Victoria, who tossed him the reins.
You
sure you ain't about to rob us?"
No, I am not about to rob you."
For pity's sake, does she look like a
highwayman?" The elderly woman leaned
her head back out the window and
glowered at her coachman as he took
control of the team.
She's a female dressed
in men's breeches and she ought to be
thoroughly ashamed of herself. Imagine a
woman of decent breeding running around
like that on horseback in the middle of the
night. If her husband had any sense, he'd
beat her."
Lucas rode up with his captive in tow in
time to hear that last remark.
I promise
you, madam, I will take your advice under
consideration."
The woman switched her attention
immediately to him.
You being her
husband, I take it? What in heaven's
name do you think you're doing letting
her run about like this?"
Lucas smiled.
Trying to keep up with
her, and I assure you, it is not easy. Are
you and your companion all right?"
Quite all right, thank you very much.
We are late coming back from the home
of friends. A mistake I shall not make
again. What are you going to do with
him?" She nodded toward the drooping
highwayman, who was still wearing his
scarf as a mask.
Well, as to that," Lucas began thought
fully,
I suppose I ought to turn him over
to the proper authorities."
There was a whimper of protest from
the highwayman, but that was all.
Yes, yes, the proper authorities," the
woman said briskly.
Do that. And when
you've finished with that business, I suggest
you do something about your wife. A
woman who's allowed to run around in
the middle of the night wearing breeches
will come to a bad end, I can tell you that.
Now, enough of this foolishness. Home,
John."
Yes, yer ladyship." The coachman
heaved himself back up onto his box
and flicked the reins. The coach lumbered
forward and was soon out of sight around
the next bend in the lane.
Victoria examined the highwayman. It
did not take sophisticated powers of
deduction to determine that the horse,
at least, was probably from a nearby farm.
Surely a professional highwayman should
invest in a faster animal. Who are you,
lad? Are you from these parts?"
There was another whimper from the
highwayman, who cast a frantic eye toward
Lucas, as if he sought help from that
quarter.
Answer the lady," Lucas ordered softly.
The young man reluctantly reached up
and pulled down his scarf. Victoria realized
with a pang that he could not have been
more than fifteen at the most. He stared
first at Lucas and then at Victoria with a
frightened expression.
Name's Billy."
Billy what?" Lucas prodded patiently.
Billy Simms."
Well, Billy, I am afraid you are in a
great deal of trouble," Lucas remarked,
dropping his pistol back into his pocket.
The Earl of stone vale does not approve
of highwaymen operating in this district."
Ye think I give a bloody damn what
his
igh-and-mighty lordship approves of?"
Billy burst out.
I wouldn't be operatin'
as a bleedin"
ighwayman at all if the last
earl
adn't thrown Ma and me and my sis
out of our
ome. What was I supposed to
do after Pa got taken off with the fever?
We're livin" wi" me aunt and her family